Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces

The Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces was founded in 1992. Research in Colloid and Interface Science is widely covered by the following Departments: Biomaterials, Biomolecular Systems, Colloid Chemistry and Theory & Bio-Systems, the Max Planck Research Group Mechano(bio)chemistry and the Emeritus Group (Interfaces). Current research topics are include complex carbohydrate molecules, molecular force sensors and motors, mesoscopic hybrid systems, biomimetic membranes and vesicles as well as the develop­ment of carbohydrate-based vaccines and intelligent biomaterials.

Biomimetic research is at the core of the Institute’s activity. Common goal is to learn from nature how to build hierarchical materials or active systems with new functionalities, with adaptive, self-healing or self-assembling properties.